FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to purchase and use Zantiks units. If you have any queries that are not answered here please don't hesitate to contact us, email info@zantiks.com.

About the units

What are the dimensions of the complete Zantiks AD unit?The entire integrated unit is 500mm H; 300mm D; 220mm W. It takes up very little space!

What are the dimensions of the Zantiks AD unit’s testing tank?The dimensions of the tank are 150mm H, 200mm D, 140mm W.

What is included with purchase of a Zantiks AD unit?The system is fully integrated: camera, lighting, stimulus screen, solid food feeder, & liquid stimuli delivery are all included. Also standard with purchase are the unit, 1 testing tank and 1 set of the 5-Choice/Discrimination inserts, 1 set of both horizontally oriented and vertically oriented arena dividers, and 1 set of metal shocking plates. A router, LAN cable and 12V power cable are also included with the purchase of the first unit.

What is the minimum requirement for my computer’s features?You can use any device that has the ability to connect to wifi or LAN connection. Any PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet device can be used. Each unit uses its own IP address. When your device is connected to the unit’s network connection, you open your browser and type in the IP address to get to the control page to use the unit. There is no minimum running software for you device needed, as it’s just a tool to run the software already on the unit.

How many systems can be run by one networked device?Currently, up to 32 separate units can be run from one interface.

Data output

What is the format of my data output?The data output is in a .csv file, which easily opens in excel, sheets, numbers or even notebook.

Regarding the output data, what kind of variables/information is tracked? Can variables be customised?Examples of variables that people are currently using include distance travelled, time spent in a specific target zone, and number of entries into specific target zones. For experiments, such as discriminations, correct, incorrect, omission and premature responses are counted. However, variables can be added and customised through the scripting language.

The purchasing, warranty & delivery process

How do I request a quote for several units?Contact us via email (info@zantiks.com) and let us know how many units you would like and where they should be delivered. We will send you a formal quotation that lasts for 30 days. We do give discounts for multiple purchases of 3 or more units.

Where are you based, where do you sell your products?We are based in Cambridge in the UK, but frequently visit conferences and researchers worldwide. We sell our products worldwide.

When will my Zantiks unit be shipped?Unless otherwise stated, shipping usually occurs within a month of your order being placed.

Will I have to purchase software upgrades later on?Currently all software upgrades are included for at least 2 years after you purchase the unit/s. You would be given a downloadable file when the time comes to update without additional purchase.

Would tech support/ part replacement/ warranty be available to labs with Zantiks units?The warranty is for 2 years, which covers the physical unit. We happily help get you up and running, but also answer any questions you may have in the future.

If we needed to use the warranty or order replacement parts in the future, would we be sending/ receiving packages to/ from the UK and be responsible for shipping costs?If replacement parts are needed, we ask that you package the equipment for shipping, Zantiks would cover shipping costs.

What built-in stimuli are in the units?

What manipulanda and cue signals are available?Visual cues and stimuli are displayed from a screen underneath the tank, along with the available use of LED ‘house-lights’ from above. You can have a vibratory stimulus created from the feeder motor as a startle or noise cue.

Can we present moving images as the visual cue (e.g., approaching predator)?Visual stimuli are presented from a screen under the tank from where you can display moving images. Both moving and still images (both coloured and black and white) can be used. We are developing an AD unit with an alternative screen on the end wall.

Are the mild electric shock reinforcement plates, used in the Zantiks AD with zebrafish, built into the system?The shocking plates are not permanently connected to the unit, but are plugged into a dedicated port integrated into the unit.

Is there temperature control in the Zantiks MWP?The Zantiks MWP unit does have a temperature control. Currently we can control the temperature of the enclosed air in the MWP system. The range we can control within is from about 5 to 15 degrees Centigrade above the ambient temperature of the laboratory.

Is there control of lighting within the Zantiks MWP? For example, for long term recording for circadian cycling?The Zantiks MWP can be programmed to illuminate from both overhead LEDs and the integrated screen underneath the well-plate.

Tips for using the units

What type of food can I use for a reward?For adult zebrafish, the food commonly used in the UK is the ZM400 protein pellets from ZM Systems. However, any similarly sized, slow-sinking fish pellet will work with the feeder mechanism.

Are there guidelines for altering the basic setup of the Zantiks AD testing tank, for example creating 2 vs. 4 tracking arenas?The Zantiks AD tank comes with inserts to create different environments. These slot into specific grooves in the tank. There is a user manual on the website (which can be found here).

Where do I find video files on the Control Console?Media files, such as images and videos are found in the Media Directory in the bottom Administration section of the Zantiks Control Console Home page.

How should the video recording facility be used?Video recording was added to the system to help users show other people what the system was doing – for example so that videos could be made easily for presentations. The priority for the system has been to track the fish, run the experiment, and deliver the stimuli as required. The video recording that you can download consists of both the video recording of the organism taken using the infrared camera with an overlay of the relevant asset showing the detector zones programmed (because the live image on the screen as seen by the organism is not picked up by the infrared camera). Consequently sometimes the screen images might have an offset. We recommend the use of the video recording feature to make short recordings as a visual display record of the experiment.

Where do I find the data files?There is a Data Files link in the lower left of the Zantiks Control Console Home page. There should be a list of data you can download directly onto your computer. There will be a single file and a compiled file for all the same experiments run within the same day.

What is the storage limit of the unit?The storage limit is approximately 24 GB. The currently available storage is displayed on the Zantiks Control Console Home page. When the storage is low, this will be highlighted in red. You can download files and delete them from the unit when you wish to free up more space.

What kind of well-plates can I use in the Zantiks MWP?Any standard well-plate can be used. Up to 96 wells can be tracked at once.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask us, send an email to info@zantiks.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.